Keep Your Dog Busy With "Find It" Games

It's week two of K9 Kamp and Rocco and I have been having fun thinking up several ways to play Doggie Hide and Seek!

If you missed it, our winter session of K9 Kamp is now underway and last week we announced the challenge.

Let's all play Doggie Hide and Seek!

This week, we came up with our own version of "Find It." It works like this.

Step 1: I ask Rocco for a Down Stay

Step 2: I go to a different room (where Rocco can't see me) and hide a toy.

Step 3: I release Rocco from his Down Stay and ask him to "Find it"!

I used a PetSafe Rip 'N Tug Hammerhead Shark Dog Toy that has a nifty little pocket where you can hide a treat!

I found that this was a great way to start the game since Rocco is VERY motivated by treats. And as an extra bonus, after he finds the toy (and the hidden treat) we get to play a fun game of tug!

Tip #1: First, I created some motivation for Rocco by playing toss and fetch with the treat filled toy. Once he really LOVED fetching the toy I started hiding it in various places -- behind pillows, under his bed, etc. I tried to make it easy to start and then found harder-to-find places.

Tip #2: Regarding the Down Stay, we've also practiced that A LOT so that now I can put him in a Down Stay, walk out of sight, and he'll stay until I release him. If you don't have a rock solid Down Stay, work up to it by stepping away just a few feet at a time and going back to treat while your pup is still in his Down Stay.  Once you go out of sight -- do it for just a moment at first and go back to treat your pup. Good dog!

Tip #3: Remember to give your pup a release word (ours is OK, some folks use FREE or RELEASE… it can be any word you choose) so your pup is very clear that it's ok to get up from the Stay!

Tip #4: Pups need mental as well as physical exercise and this game is a great way to get your dog thinking as well as a fun way for you to bond with your dog. I find a young pup like Rocco needs LOTS of mental and physical exercise so that at SOME point he'll actually lay down and relax!

Next week, we're planning on teaching Rocco to go hide in a box! Do you think he'll fit?

We'd love to hear about what you're working on so please leave us a comment and link up your post below too!

Don't forget to checkout our co-Kounselors Peggy's Pet Place and SlimDoggy to see what they've been up to too!

And, as a reminder, we're co-locating FitDog Friday and K9 Kamp for the next few weeks so you can  link up here every Friday to share your FitDog AND K9 Kamp news! The last day of the winter session of K9 Kamp is February 21. Of course, there's no end to the fun at FitDog Friday, so that will continue on in between camp sessions!

AND, one more reminder… don't forget to enter our K9 Kamp giveaway for oodles of FAB prizes!

Enter here via Rafflecopter

Disclaimer:  A special thanks to Petmate, PPI, and Smart Cookee. We were provided these prizes as gifts for giveaway. No other compensation was provided to us.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The fun and games continue every Friday with FitDog Friday, the weekly Blog Hop brought to you by To Dog With Love, SlimDoggy and Peggy's Pet Place to promote a healthy active lifestyle for pets (and their people, too!). Join in every Friday by linking up your FitDog story or visiting the blogs in the Hop.

And, from now through February 21, FitDog Friday will co-locate with K9 Kamp. So we'd love for you to link up all your FitDog AND K9 Kamp posts here!  

Fido's Freebie Friday: Atlanta Snow Jam Edition!

It's time for Fido's Freebie Friday (FFF), the weekly giveaway blog hop for all things pet!

Good thing all the fun at FFF happens online because today we're starting Day 3 of Atlanta Snow Jam, and Atlanta is still closed!

Seriously, things are getting better here but we haven't ventured out yet by car, only by foot.  We took a walk down to our local village of Virginia Highlands and while most of the eating establishments were open, most of the stores were still closed.

Rocco heads out to check out our Atlanta neighborhood

So while we're thawing out, there's still plenty of shopping and giveaways to be had at Fido's Freebie Friday!

You all won't want to miss any of the pet-related giveaways below. Enter them all or add your own! We make it easy by linking them up all in one place!

This week, we've also been busy with our K9 Kamp challenge! Come back tomorrow to see what kinds of Doggie Hide and Seek fun Rocco and I have been having.  In case you haven't heard, K9 Kamp is a virtual camp filled with fun, fitness and friendship. And, not only will you and your pup have a great time, there's also a chance to win some amazing prizes.

How much is the baby in the window? 
How funny is this? The baby looked like she was suspended mid-air!

Back to Fido's Freebie Friday … here's how to participate!

The rules for Fido's Freebie Friday super simple. Here's all you need to know to link up:

• You have up to 45 characters to describe your prize and include an expiration date
• Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts with prizes for pet products or services, including pet-related or pet-themed items for owners. Use your specific post url to link up.

Fido's Freebie Friday opens each Thursday afternoon for linkups at 4 p.m. ET, and renews each week at the same time with a new listing. Link up anytime during the week!

For more information, you can check out the help page. Your hosts are All Things Dog Blog, Doggies and Stuff, DogTipper and To Dog With Love.

Let's go shopping!


Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. All Things Dog Blog, Doggies and Stuff, DogTipper and To Dog With Love take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet products to be offered. Fulfillment of each giveaway is done by the blog conducting the giveaway, not by the hosts of this giveaway hop; please contact the giveaway host with any questions regarding a giveaway or giveaway prize.

Snow Zombies vs. Snow Zoomies #AtlantaSnow

Zombie Rocco

Sometimes Zoomies can lead to Zombies, and in Atlanta yesterday that was unfortunately for some… all too true.

If you were lucky enough to be at home when the snow started falling, it was a fun event for dogs and people too. But our hearts go out to all the folks who were stranded on the streets, schools and businesses last night.

Ironically, our pals -- Garth Riley (the dog) and Kona at K9Karryall -- found that Zoomies autocorrects to Zombies!

Bring on the Zombies… I mean Zoomies!



Check out the rest of our pals at the BlogPaws Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop!

Welcome K9 Kampers! Winter session is now open!

Slap, Bang here we are again!

Just thinking about K9 Kamp makes me think of all the old songs we used to sing at summer camp!

Slap, Bang was one of those songs that we sang upon arriving at camp. And as it turns out, Slap, Bang is also known as The School of Jolly Dogs! How ironic is that! At my camp, the words we sang to Slap, Bang had nothing to do with dogs!

Slap, bang here we are again what jolly dogs we are!

Anyway, I digress, dear Kampers! Today, we'd like to welcome you all to the winter session of K9 Kamp, the virtual Kamp you can enjoy from wherever you are that brings you fun, fitness and friendship!

So gather 'round the campfire my jolly dog pals, and with my co-Kounselors Peggy's Pet Place and SlimDoggy, we're about to reveal our K9 Kamp challenge!

So without further ado…. here's the challenge for K9 Kamp Winter Session, 2014!…

Let's all play "Doggie Hide and Seek"!

Rocco plays his own game of Hide and Seek!

This is the activity you all will participate in over the next several weeks. And, while we offer some "Doggie Hide and Seek" thought starters below, we encourage you to be creative with your own game!

You can blog about your progress and your own interpretation of the game. And, if you don't have a blog, you can also share with us your ideas and progress in the comment section on our blogs, or link up a Facebook post.

And, don't forget to enter our fabulous giveaway for all K9 Kampers! You'll find it at the end of this post.

We're co-locating FitDog Friday and K9 Kamp for the next four weeks so you can also link up here every Friday, if you like, to share your progress and offer words of encouragement. And we'll be here to cheer you on too!

Then, on February 21, we'll have our final campfire here at K9 Kamp.  On that date, you can link up your final post right here on our FitDog Friday/K9 Kamp Blog Hop.

There's no pressure to post something every week, though we'd love to hear how you're doing. The only rules are to have fun with your dog!

Here's one version of Hide and Seek to get you started…

1. Select an item--your dog's favorite toy, a treat, etc. When your dog isn't looking, hide the item. If your dog is new at this, start off with the item under a pillow or behind a table close enough to find. If your dog is a pro, make it challenging.
2. Now tell your dog "Find it!" Run along with your dog, encouraging him as you go.
3. Be sure to offer lots of praise when your dog finds the item.
4. Now, it's your turn! Be creative and think up new ways to play Doggie Hide and Seek.

We may do a variation of Hide and Seek, where I hide and Rocco finds me. Or, we may play Hide and Seek with one of our interactive treat dispensers or toys. Our pal Sugar posted this really cool Hide and Seek idea yesterday… and she didn't even know what our challenge would be! Surprise!

How will you play Hide and Seek? We'd love to hear your initial thoughts in the comments below.

Here's where to enter for a chance to win fab K9 Kamp prizes!

Enter via Rafflecopter for a chance to win a whole bunk-full of great prizes! You can read more about the prizes in our K9 Kamp post from last week.

Disclaimer:  A special thanks to Petmate, PPI, and Smart Cookee. We were provided these prizes as gifts for giveaway. No other compensation was provided to us.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
The fun and games continue every Friday with FitDog Friday, the weekly Blog Hop brought to you by To Dog With Love, SlimDoggy and Peggy's Pet Place to promote a healthy active lifestyle for pets (and their people, too!). Join in every Friday by linking up your FitDog story or visiting the blogs in the Hop.

And, from now through February 21, FitDog Friday will co-locate with K9 Kamp. So we'd love for you to link up all your FitDog AND K9 Kamp posts here!  

Fido's Freebie Friday: Get Ready for K9 Kamp!

It's time for Fido's Freebie Friday, the weekly giveaway blog hop for all things pet!

We've been busy this week preparing for K9 Kamp! Hope you'll join us for all the fun at our virtual camp filled with fun, fitness and friendship. And, not only will you and your pup have a great time, there's also a chance to win some amazing prizes. Come back tomorrow to enter and join our opening day at Kamp!

In the meantime, you all won't want to miss any of the pet-related giveaways below. Enter them all or add your own! We make it easy by linking them up all in one place!

The rules are super simple. Here's all you need to know to link up:

• You have up to 45 characters to describe your prize and include an expiration date
• Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts with prizes for pet products or services, including pet-related or pet-themed items for owners. Use your specific post url to link up.

Fido's Freebie Friday opens each Thursday afternoon for linkups at 4 p.m. ET, and renews each week at the same time with a new listing. Link up anytime during the week!

For more information, you can check out the help page. Your hosts are All Things Dog Blog, Doggies and Stuff, DogTipper and To Dog With Love.

Let's go shopping!


Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. All Things Dog Blog, Doggies and Stuff, DogTipper and To Dog With Love take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet products to be offered. Fulfillment of each giveaway is done by the blog conducting the giveaway, not by the hosts of this giveaway hop; please contact the giveaway host with any questions regarding a giveaway or giveaway prize.

Win an HGTV Dream Home!

Here's a chance to win an amazing dream home for you and your (pet) family! I guarantee there will be plenty of space for your pets to get the zoomies!

The 2014 HGTV Dream home is a 3,200-square-foot dream home located in Truckee, Calif., minutes from the year round recreation destination of Lake Tahoe. You can enter to win a grand prize package valued at almost $2 million that includes the fully furnished home as well as a 2015 GMC Yukon Denali and $250,000, courtesy of Quicken Loans.

The home is amazing and even features a special custom pet niche. Take a look at this brilliant use of an otherwise under-used space!



During the giveaway period, which runs until Feb. 14, 2014, you can enter twice online per day: once at HGTV.com and once at FrontDoor.com. HGTV Facebook and Twitter fans can elect to receive ongoing updates and new details, and fans can sign up for daily e-mail reminders at HGTV.com. Odds of winning the sweepstakes depend on the number of entries. Official rules can be found at hgtv.com/dreamhome.

Still deciding whether to enter? Take a look at this insanely awesome home where modern mountain design meets livable luxury!


Good luck!

Why All Dogs Need a Job #DogDecoding

Rocco reads up on his favorite dog sports

I love learning about what makes dogs tick… and how to help them be the best they can be. Even better when I get the chance to learn about it from the experts.

That's why I was excited for the chance to review a copy of Decoding Your Dog, the new book from the members of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, Debra Horwitz and John Ciribassi, with Steve Dale.

The book promises to explain common dog behaviors and reveal how to prevent or change unwanted ones.  Written by top veterinary behavioral experts, this book is chock full of science-based information, positive training methods and remedies for behavior problems from separation anxiety to aggression.

It's a book for any dog owner's collection. In addition to addressing behavioral problems, you'll find chapters on how to find the right puppy for you, housetraining 101, and practical advice on making nail clipping and teeth brushing more pleasant for you and your dog.

While there were many chapters I found interesting, I found myself drawn to the chapter titled "All Dogs Need a Job." As the proud owner of my second Havanese, I learned pretty quickly that even small, fluffy dogs need a job if they are to be the best dogs they can be!

This chapter dives into the reasons for and ways you can keep your pup happy and stimulated both mentally and physically. It gives examples of plenty of activities to keep your dog busy -- from toys and chews to interactive activities like tricks training or fetch and tug games.

It also provides a rundown of many popular dog sports including our favorite, agility.

The bottom line is that all dogs require some form of enrichment… meaning that they need objects or interactions that occupy and stimulate their thinking and/or physical activity.

I've learned from experience that my dog indeed needs a job to keep him happy, stimulated  and generally out of trouble! I've also learned that as dog's age, you might try different activities that better suit their life stage.

Decoding Your Dog provides plenty of ideas for activities for any dog at every stage of life, plus much more. If you want to learn what the experts have learned about decoding how our dogs think, communicate and learn, you can find it all in Decoding your Dog.

I've found agility to be a great "job" for Rocco, using his mind and body for full doggie enrichment. And, we're enjoying trick training too.

What "jobs" do your dogs have?

Disclosure: I have written this post on behalf of BlogPaws Pet Blogger Network for Decoding Your Dog. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about Decoding Your Dog, but To Dog With Love only shares information we feel is relevant to our readers.

5 Ways to Help Pets on Your Drive Home From Work

Lending a hand for pets in need is always a nice thing to do, but it doesn’t have to be a huge production. Sometimes, it’s the littlest gesture that makes the biggest impact. Here are a few pet-loving tasks so simple, you can do them for your local shelter or rescue on your drive home from work.

1. Take a Dog for a Walk or Offer Some Playtime

This is an easy, fun, and incredibly helpful way to lend a hand. By volunteering to stop by the shelter and take a dog for a quick walk or play chase-the-mouse with a cat before heading home, you make the lives of those running the shelter (who are likely spread a bit thin) a little easier, and you give a pet some well-deserved attention. You might even make a new friend in the process.

2. Bring Office Supplies

Helping pets can start with helping the people working for them. A simple way to help out your local shelter is to drop off a few office supplies every so often. Pens, pencils, Post-Its, legal pads, paper clips -- anything your office has in surplus they’d be willing to donate, or anything you have lying around your home. People tend to forget the clerical side of running a shelter, but as anyone who has ever worked in one can attest, there is no shortage of paperwork.

3. Bring Over Dinner

As quick as a trip to the local pizzeria, throwing your shelter an impromptu pizza party is a great way to let them know how much you appreciate them. Two pies and a couple of two-liters are the universal sign for “thanks.” Homemade goodies like a batch of cookies will score big, too. Just be careful about bringing homemade treats for the pets -- shelter rules might not allow the workers to share anything unlabeled by a manufacturer with the pets. But you can always bring some extra store-bought treats.

4. Give Some Cleaning Supplies

Things like soap, hand sanitizer, or all-purpose cleaner are often on short order at animal shelters, so if you have time to stop in to the local supermarket and drop a few bucks on cleaning supplies, everyone at your neighborhood rescue would be grateful.

5. Give Them All the Plastic Bags

You know that pile of plastic bags under your sink, or in your closet, that is starting to get out of control? Why not take half (or all) of them to some people who can put them to some real use? Just think -- if your local shelter is home to 40 dogs, that’s 80 walks a day, and 80 good reasons to have a plastic bag on hand. Cats need litter boxes cleaned every day, too. Your shelter staff will seriously thank you.

Guest post: Sam Bourne is a pet lover and dog and cat parent lucky enough to get to write about them for a living on PetCareRx and The Wet Nose Press.

K9Kamp is Back and Under New Co-Ownership!

I wanna go back to K9Kamp to dear old K9Kamp …

When I think of camp, my thoughts turn to some of the best summers I spent as a child. The fun, the friendships, the activities and camp songs -- it was all part of the camp experience. I can't imagine a childhood without the joy and camaraderie I was lucky enough to experience at camp.

So when Peggy at Peggy's Pet Place asked if I'd like to co-host K9Kamp along with SlimDoggy, I thought it was a terrific idea. Actually we both did. It made lots of sense as a complement to FitDog Friday.  And in some small way, it brings back my fond memories of childhood camp, although with K9Kamp you never have to leave home if you don't want to!

Rocco is proud to be one of your new Kamp Kounselors

If you're new to K9Kamp, here's how it works. Twice a year (January and June),  we'll host K9Kamp along with Peggy's Pet Place and SlimDoggy right along with FitDog Friday. We'll issue a fun challenge on our blogs and you'll have several weeks to work on the challenge, post about it and then link it up to our K9Kamp/FitDog Blog Hop.

We're all in it together, so we can share our progress, leave notes of encouragement on each other's blogs and enjoy the camaraderie and friendships, old and new, just like at regular camp!

We'll post our January challenge next Friday, Jan. 24. We hope all our old K9Kamp pals will be back with us in this January session, and we hope to meet some new pals too. We have a fun challenge planned so you won't want to miss it!

Then, you'll have three weeks to work on your challenge, prepare your post and on February 21, link up and join our K9Kamp Kampfire blog hop. We'll have a big prize package giveaway too. Here's a sneak peek at what you'll have the chance to win!

• Petmate Interactive Treat Tower
• ChuckIt! Kick Fetch
• Dogzilla large rubber bone for strong chewers
• Aikiou Interactive Dog Feeder
• Medium Paw Plunger
• 1 bag SmartCookee all-natural treats (5 oz., your choice of flavor)
• The Dieting With my Dog Guide to Weight Loss and Maintenance
• SlimDoggy t-shirt
• SlimDoggy frisbee

Come on back next week and we'll be ready to welcome you the next session of K9 Kamp!

And one more thing, our pal SlimDoggy put together this nifty list of real -- not virtual -- dog camps. If you've been to one, let us know how you liked it. I've always thought it would be fun to attend one of these camps.

The fun and games continue every Friday with FitDog Friday, the weekly Blog Hop brought to you by To Dog With Love, SlimDoggy and Peggy's Pet Place to promote a healthy active lifestyle for pets (and their people, too!). Join in every Friday by linking up your FitDog story or visiting the blogs in the Hop.

Fido's Freebie Friday: Win Some, Give Some!

It's time for Fido's Freebie Friday, the weekly giveaway blog hop for all things pet!

We have a cool, new giveaway this week from Louisiana Alligator dog treats. They're made in the USA dog treats and they use all sorts of alternative protein sources. I know our pals with pup allergies will like to know about these.

And furthermore, Rocco loves them! Check out the giveaway here!

You all won't want to miss all the pet-related giveaways below. Enter them all or add your own! We make it easy by linking them up all in one place!

The rules are super simple. Here's all you need to know to link up:

• You have up to 45 characters to describe your prize and include an expiration date
• Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts with prizes for pet products or services, including pet-related or pet-themed items for owners. Use your specific post url to link up.

Fido's Freebie Friday opens each Thursday afternoon for linkups at 4 p.m. ET, and renews each week at the same time with a new listing. Link up anytime during the week!

For more information, you can check out the help page. Your hosts are All Things Dog Blog, Doggies and Stuff, DogTipper and To Dog With Love.

Let's go shopping!



Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. All Things Dog Blog, Doggies and Stuff, DogTipper and To Dog With Love take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet products to be offered. Fulfillment of each giveaway is done by the blog conducting the giveaway, not by the hosts of this giveaway hop; please contact the giveaway host with any questions regarding a giveaway or giveaway prize.

Win Louisiana Alligator Treats for Dogs!

We recently learned about this new line of USA-made dog treats, and one of the cool things about them is that they're all made with alternative protein sources. 

So if you have a dog with allergies, or a pup who likes to try new things, these could be a great choice for you!

And today, here's your chance to win a whole prize pack of new think!dog Louisiana Alligator Treats for dogs. Read all the way down to enter and learn more about our prize pack!

Rocco says they're lip-smacking delicious!

But first, here's a few more reasons to love these new treats from Delca Corp. 

• Made and sourced in the USA
• Alternative protein sources of alligator, crab, crawfish and shrimp (the folks at Delca say this is a first for a widely distributed dog treat line)
• The main ingredients come straight from the sustainable family farms and fisheries in the Louisiana bayou
• Free of common allergens like corn, wheat and soy
• Availability at pet retailers nationwide including Petco

We love the way the soft treats break easily into even smaller pieces (for more treating goodness!)  and Rocco loves them too! Take a look!

Read more about the full line of treats here, and check them out on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram too!

Enter to Win!

Enter via Giveaway Tools below to win a fabulous prize pack that includes various flavors of THREE bags of Louisiana Alligator Jerky AND TWO boxes of Louisiana Alligator Biscuits! 

Good luck!

Disclosure: We were provided with Louisiana Alligator Dog Treats to review and giveaway. All opinions expressed herein are entirely our own.

Entry-Form

St. James's Park Dog Walk

I snapped this pic during a recent visit to London when I needed yet another dog fix! Here, a woman walks her two dogs at St. James's Park near Buckingham Palace. Dogs are welcome in the Royal Parks with just a few guidelines.

Free offer! Try K-10+ Calming for Dogs to Help Relieve Stress

If your dog suffers from separation anxiety or other environmental stressors, we've got a great, and FREE, sampling opportunity for you today!

K-10+ has come out with a new water soluble calming formula, and they are offering our readers a full 28-packet box for you to try with your dog. 
Simply fill out this form with your contact information and the first 100 to sign up will receive a box of K-10+ Calming Formula absolutely free! In return, the folks at K-10+ would love to hear about your pup's experience using the product. 
And because you'll receive about a month's supply of K-10+, you should be able to give it a good try to help with your pup's anxieties.
The deadline for signing up for a free box is January 22 so don't delay!
And, to make the deal event sweeter, the nice folks at K-10+ want to thank you for your product review by providing you with the chance to win a $50 Petco gift card! After giving the product a good try, simply write a few sentences about your pup's experience (see details below how to post your review). 
K-10+ comes in pre-measured packets and it dissolves easily in water, making it super easy and stress free for both you and your dog! It has no additives, flavors, artificial coloring, preservatives or fillers and won't cause drowsiness.
You can learn more about K-10+ Calming Formula on the  K-10+ website or visit them on Facebook or Twitter.
The full line of K-10+ supplements is available at Petco, including Multi-Vitamin, Glucosamine, Omega 3, Calming, UT Support and Senior Care formulas.
Not only do the folks at K-10+ have a line of helpful products, but we also love their sense of humor. Check out this fun commercial they shot recently. I'm planning to teach Rocco to do this, Better hide my credit card!
Instructions for consumer reviewers
The first 100 to sign up via the form above will receive a free sample box of K-10+ Calming Formula for dogs. After trying the product, post a review on the Petco website and you'll be entered for a chance to win a $50 gift card from Petco. This free product offer runs through January 22; this offer will end when our maximum of 100 boxes is met. Reviews must be posted by February 28 to be eligible for the gift card drawing.
Here's how to post your review:

1. Visit the Petco website page for the K-10+ Calming Formula by clicking this link.
2. Click the "Write a Review" link to the right of the product image.
3. Sign into your Petco account or Create an Account by filling in your email address, name, and a password.
4. On the review page, you'll be prompted to use a Nickname, rather than leaving your actual first and last name. 
5. K-10+ urges you to leave an honest account of your experience with their product, and thanks you for taking the time to share your thoughts. Good luck in the drawing!

This outreach is a service of the Event Barkers social media promotion group. You'll find the same offer posted at DogTipper and All Things Dog Blog; however, you may only receive 1 free box of K-10+. 

Disclosure: Event Barkers is offering this sampling opportunity as a service to K-10+. We have received no free product, but have been compensated to run this offer on their behalf. 

Barn Hunt Part II: Finding the Rat!

Rocco is introduced to the rat, who is safely ensconced
in his PVC pipe shelter

Two weeks ago we told you all about our introduction to Barn Hunt at a fun day event.

At the fun day, we learned about Barn Hunt runs and what's expected of you and your dog when you compete. We also got the chance to try a couple of runs and Rocco got his first experience of finding a rat in a tube!

Read more about what Barn Hunt is all about in our last post. Today, we're going to show you how Rocco found the rat!

First, Rocco was introduced to the rat, who is kept safe and snug in a little tube filled with rat litter. To the right you can see Rocco checking out the rat in the tube.

A Barn Hunt course with tunnels, climbs and PVC pipe rat tubes.

Then, Rocco got his chance to find the rat in the Barn Hunt ring. Here's where it gets a bit more tricky.

THREE tubes are placed in the ring -- one with a rat, one just with litter and one that is empty. Not only does your dog need to find the tube with the rat, but then YOU, the handler, must recognize your dog's indication that he's found the rat, and then YOU must declare with certainty "RAT!"

So you can't say something like, "hmmm, I think that may be the tube with the rat." Here's where you must know your dog well enough to recognize his sign of finding the rat. Excellent dog/handler communication is key!

You'll see in our video that first, Rocco gets the chance to see all three tubes and signal to me which one contains the rat. Then, in a second run, he must find a rat that is hidden underneath some loosely piled straw, making things a bit more challenging.



Different breeds and different dogs may signal the rat with different levels of exuberance, In Rocco's case, he paused in front of the rat and then sat. I learned that was his way of telling me he found the rat.

There are lots of guidelines you must follow in order to received titles in Barn Hunt. You can find all the details in the Barn Hunt rules.  One thing that's an automatic disqualification is if a dog eliminates on the course (which is basically anything coming out of your dog that shouldn't be!).

We, a-hem, may have to work on that some. I mean the hay bales look an awful lot like the pinestraw in our backyard!

We had a fun day and got to experience the whole thing with our pals Johann and Gracie and their mum! You can read about their experience here!

We're also super excited to join our FitDog Friday co-hosts Peggy's Pet Place and SlimDoggy for this year's K9Kamp. Held twice a year (January and June), K9Kamp is a blog hop event where you can get fit with your dog! The challenge will be issued on January 24th, so be sure to and stop by to check out the challenge so that you can participate.  Then, at the end of K9Kamp, join our blog hop (co-located with FitDog Friday!) and share your experience. Everyone is invited and we'll have prizes too! 

The fun and games continue every Friday with FitDog Friday, the weekly Blog Hop brought to you by To Dog With Love, SlimDoggy and Peggy's Pet Place to promote a healthy active lifestyle for pets (and their people, too!). Join in every Friday by linking up your FitDog story or visiting the blogs in the Hop.

Fido's Freebie Friday: New Year, New Giveaways!

It's time for Fido's Freebie Friday, the weekly giveaway blog hop for all things pet!

After a lovely holiday, we're getting back into the swing of things and have some great giveaways planned. Stay tuned for everything from new treats for your pups to some nifty training aids.

In the meantime, check out all the pet-related giveaways below or add your own! We make it easy by linking them up all in one place!

The rules are super simple. Here's all you need to know to link up:

• You have up to 45 characters to describe your prize and include an expiration date
• Fido's Freebie Friday Blog Hop is open to posts with prizes for pet products or services, including pet-related or pet-themed items for owners. Use your specific post url to link up.

Fido's Freebie Friday opens each Thursday afternoon for linkups at 4 p.m. ET, and renews each week at the same time with a new listing. Link up anytime during the week!

For more information, you can check out the help page. Your hosts are All Things Dog Blog, Doggies and Stuff, DogTipper and To Dog With Love.

Let's go shopping! 



Individual rules of entry and guidelines for winning may apply to each listing. All Things Dog Blog, Doggies and Stuff, DogTipper and To Dog With Love take no responsibility for the legality of the rules governing the listings on other sites and giveaways that are posted here. We simply provide this forum as a gathering place for pet products to be offered. Fulfillment of each giveaway is done by the blog conducting the giveaway, not by the hosts of this giveaway hop; please contact the giveaway host with any questions regarding a giveaway or giveaway prize.

Dogs in Art at the Louvre

Jeune Homme et Chien at the Louvre

Over the holidays I had the chance to take a lovely trip to England and France. This time I traveled without Rocco, though you might remember some of our fun international trips with Cosmo.

So just to get a little dog fix during my trip, I set about to find all the dogs in art at the Louvre in Paris. In this one, the dog looks like a Havanese to me, and it's thought to have been created about 375 - 350 B.C. in Greece.

Outside the Louvre on a rainy night

We visited the Louvre on a Friday night when it's opened late. The lines to enter were short at that time but the museum was still PACKED with people!

More dogs in art...

Titian, Supper at Emmaus
(to learn more about biblical feasts in art, click on this link) 

Veronese, Supper at Emmaus
(click on the third picture at this link to learn more about this painting) 

Jacobo Bassano, Two Dogs Tied to a Tree Stump
(go to the third page in this link to read more about dogs in paintings in mid-16th century Venice)

Tips for Better Apartment Living with a Pet

Guest Post

A national survey conducted by Apartments.com in 2013 revealed that three-quarters of apartment dwellers are pet owners, a 32 percent increase from 2012.

The majority of those indicated they owned either a cat (45 percent) or a small dog (38 percent), although one out of five reported having a medium or large-sized dog.

A little more than two-thirds of renters said they faced some difficulties in finding places that will allow their pet. Fortunately, that search can be made a bit easier, whether you're looking for a pet-friendly abode in a small town or a major city by perusing sites like ForRent.com.

For example, when searching for apartments for rent in Atlanta, the results can be tailored not only specific areas like Athens, but also can be narrowed down to include pet policies, such as those that accept cats, small dogs, or even large dogs.

Once you've moved into your apartment, consider these tips for making living with your pet in a small space easier as well as improving his or her quality of life.

Be sure your pet gets plenty of exercise

One of the drawbacks to apartment living is not having a yard, but this can actually be an advantage as you'll have an excuse to go outside and meet the neighbors, as well as some of their pets. You don't have to have a dog to take your pet for a walk either.

In fact, cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy believes leash-walking a cat can help burn off that extra feline energy. Both dogs and cats need plenty of exercise and playtime.

If you have a neighborhood dog park, this can be a great way to allow your dog a bit of freedom and socialization with other dogs. Helping your pet become more comfortable around new people is also important for better apartment living. During your walks or visit to the dog park, allow strangers to gently interact with them.

Be a responsible pet owner

If you hope to remain in good graces with your landlord, as well as the other tenants, being a responsible pet owner is a must. Remember that not everyone loves animals as much as you do, and you'll need to respect that. Try to keep your pet quiet as much as you possibly can, particularly in the early morning hours and at night.

Being woken up by a yowling cat or a barking dog is enough to make anyone's blood pressure rise. It's also important that your pet's vaccinations are up to date so that they don't spread any diseases or parasites.

Give your pet its own space

Pets need to have their own space to retreat to, just like humans. If you're gone during the day, it's even more important to make your pet feel comfortable while he or she is alone. You might lay out a comfy pillow and blanket for your dog along with a few favorite toys, or set up a special area for your cat with a scratching post and a place to hide. Cat trees are great as cats naturally love being up high so that they can keep an eye on what's happening below.

Guest post by Joel Mccoy. Joel is a pet photographer who is scared of any dog larger than a poodle.

New Year Fit Dog Resolutions

Rocco practices his agility jump technique

Welcome to the first FitDog Friday of 2014!

Wow! We can't believe how fast the year flew by. In 2013, Rocco grew from a  baby pup to a beautiful and healthy young dog. 

Now, at 15 months, he's in full-mode agility training and we hope to compete in our first trial this spring.

He's so much fun to run with. And, for anyone who's thinking of starting up agility this year, I want to give you just one bit of advice... remember, it's all about having fun with your pup! Keep it fun and both you and your dog will enjoy agility whether you have aspirations to compete or are enjoying a weekly agility class.

Our Fit Dog goals for 2014 include mastering the weave poles and ensuring that Rocco has the focus and maturity to stay with me in a competition setting. Then, if he's ready, we'll look for some trials in the springtime.

Learning the weave poles... we're using the 2 x 2 method. We'll talk more about that in a future post. 

Our goals also include more fitness for me... so I can keep up with Rocco! I'd like to add more cardio, strength training and flexibility to my fitness routine. Rocco's in great shape, but I find I have to add in some human-only workout time, too. So boring, I know, but even though I'll still use dog activities for some of my fitness, I find that using Rocco as a hand weight just isn't quite doing it for me! ha!

Having said that, here's one quick tip the get the most human fitness benefit out of agility training. When you are walking the course, run it instead.  Sure, you may have to walk the first time as you plot your strategy, but after that, run it at least several times a full-out dog-speed.  It'll not only increase your fitness level, it'll also help you visual the course as it will run in real-time with your pup!

What are your health and fitness goals for 2014? Leave a comment here and we can encourage each other, And you can also join the Resolve to Move Your Mutt Blog Hop, co-hosted by Slimdoggy and Keep the Tail Wagging,  through January 4!

The fun and games continue every Friday with FitDog Friday, the weekly Blog Hop brought to you by To Dog With Love, SlimDoggy and Peggy's Pet Place to promote a healthy active lifestyle for pets (and their people, too!). Join in every Friday by linking up your FitDog story or visiting the blogs in the Hop.